2008.08.24 Making Mistakes

Scripture: 2 Samuel 24

Today, the 2008 Summer Olympics draws to a close. History will judge whether or not the games will be labeled a success. However, what we know now is that, perhaps more than usual, the hosting government has been a significant presence throughout the games. This is because the Chinese government has wielded a tremendous amount of its power in its role as host to the international community. Prior to the start of the games, the government
-moved dissidents out of Beijing,
-established regulations where people in Beijing could drive their cars only every other day,
-stopped production at several factories (to reduce pollution), and
-redirected water to Beijing from rural farms around of the city.

In its desire to host the “perfect” Olympic games, the Chinese government has shown the world that its authority over its citizens is far-reaching. Some may see this as intrusive and domineering. However, it is likely that there are also some who see these decisions as examples of a strong government.

Today’s scripture begins with a similar situation—where the government, the monarchy of King David, did what China did—made a decision that demonstrated its considerable authority over its citizens.

The decision in this case was to take a census.

1 Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah." 2 So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, "Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are." 3 But Joab replied to the king, "May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?" 4 The king's word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.
2 Samuel 24: 1-4

This first verse is somewhat unclear. The way that it reads, it sounds like God was mad and so he used David to call a census. While it is true that God was mad – and we are not told why, a clearer translation of the meaning of this text is found in The Message translation:

1 Once again God's anger blazed out against Israel. He tested David by telling him, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah." (2 Samuel 24:1, The Message)

In this translation it is a little easier to see that Israel must have done something or been doing something wrong, and God is not happy with them. David, their leader, is presented with the idea of a census, and he has a choice—to take a census or not. David chose to take the census. He ordered Joab, the commander of the king’s army, and the other commanders to go and count the number of fighting men, “so that I may know how many there are.” He specifies that the count extend from “Dan to Beersheba,” which is another way of saying the whole of Israel. But Joab, who has often advised the king, resists, as do the other commanders.

What’s the big deal about taking a census? Why do Joab and the commanders resist? There is nothing inherently wrong with a census. In the book of Numbers, in fact, there was a whole lot of counting going on.

In this case, though, we need to notice what David said: “Go throughout [Israel] and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.” So that I may know how many there are – how many fighting men do I have under my command? David’s desire here is to assess how much power he really has. The scripture gives no indication that there is any threat from other kingdoms, so David is not taking a count to ready himself for war. He’s taking a count to find out how strong Israel is.

This move is uncharacteristic of David, so Joab and his commanders challenge the directive. The taking of a census in this case was motivated by pride and dependence on human power rather than God. Additionally, Joab, the commanders, AND David would also know that a census, a counting of the people, typically opened the door for more power-wielding.

After taking a census, there were two things that could happen: (1) taxes and (2) a draft. Both of which were ways that kings could exercise more power, more control over their people.

And in fact, later David’s son Solomon (who became the next king) did impose taxes, the details of which can be found in the 4th chapter of 1st Kings. Solomon also conscripted labor. This is described in the 5th chapter of 1st Kings. In fact, it was this forced labor that helped to build the first Temple as well as Solomon’s palace.

So Joab and the commanders objected. David was trying to build himself up with the knowledge of how many fighting men were available, and David was also opening up the potential for future abuse of power as well. Ultimately, what David is demonstrating is that he has power. He is becoming a king like the other nations, which is, ironically, exactly what the people of Israel said they wanted when they first asked the prophet Samuel for a king.

10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses.., 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage… 16 Your [servants] and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves…”

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
1 Samuel 8:10-20

And here is David, becoming that king; not the king that God would want on the throne, but the one that the people thought they wanted. Yet Joab and the commanders recognize that David is moving in the wrong direction, and they try to hold David accountable. However, David is the king, and he overrules their objections and sends them out.

Have you ever been in a situation like this—where your friends or family may see you making a mistake and they speak up, but you refuse to listen; your mind is already made up. I know of multiple marriages that have ended up in divorce or heartache because one spouse or the other refused to listen to the concerns that their friends voiced. In my own life, there are decisions that were clearly wrong, and yet for different reasons, I chose to ignore the counsel of those who cared for me. This is not to say that our friends and our family are always correct; however, there is much credit that should be given to those people in our lives who walk with God in wisdom and love us dearly.

David, however, decided to overrule his friends’ protests. Joab and the commanders go. It takes them 9 months and 20 days to complete the census. They return to Jerusalem to report the number: 800,000 in the northern part of Israel and 500,000 in the southern part. Upon hearing Joab’s report, David’s reaction was this:

10 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."
2 Samuel 24: 10

Suddenly, David is aware of the unwise decision he has made about taking the census. He recognizes that he has chosen badly. He has, in fact, taken the power of the kingship into his own hands, inflated his own head and allowed the power he has as king to overrule what he knew deep in his soul—it is the Lord God who provides power, regardless of how large or how small the nation of Israel may be. And David repents.

When you make a mistake and you recognize that you have made a mistake, what do you do? In David’s case, he confessed his mistake to God.

There was a time when attending a Sunday worship service meant that you would have the opportunity to confess. Some churches do a unison prayer of confession—where everyone would read together a confession of sin; some churches have one person pray a prayer of confession; other churches have a time of silence for you to consider what sins you may want to confess and to do so silently. However, confession and repentance are fast disappearing from church services, including our own.

There are many reasons for this shift. One major problem with this change is that we are rapidly losing a sense of our need to confess—our need to reflect on the things that we have done wrong or are doing wrong and to confess those things before God and our neighbor. Why is this important? It is because, as one professor put it, “Through confession.. we confront sin with the power of the gospel and the grace of the Holy Spirit, and [through confession] we turn, in humility, from darkness to light.” David, upon recognizing his mistake, grasped his need to confess before God, to allow God’s light to shine directly on his mistake so that, in humility, David could move from darkness—the “darkness” of his pride and self-reliance—to light.

All of this seems great—confession helping us to move from darkness to light—yet there is one stumbling block. Perhaps you have encountered it before. It is called consequences. After David confesses and repents, we read in the next verses:

11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David's seer: 12 "Go and tell David, `This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.' "
2 Samuel 24: 11-12

When I am caught speeding, I can apologize profusely, but the CHP officer can still give me ticket. I am more likely to be issued that ticket if the officer feels that to do so will deter me from speeding the next time around. In the same way, there are times when God considers it necessary to discipline us. This was the case with David. He is given 3 choices.

13 So Gad went to David and said to him, "Shall there come upon you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me."
2 Samuel 24: 13

3 years of famine, 3 months of fleeing from your enemies or 3 days of plague

There was an article in the Sunday Chronicle two weeks ago about a man –Mr. Rupp- who had to serve two years in prison b/c he started a major wildfire up in Redding. He was mowing a dry field in the middle of the summer despite the fact that there were public service ads circulating about the dangers of doing this very thing. While Mr. Rupp was mowing, a passing neighbor asked him to stop, but he refused. One of the mower’s blades hit a rock, and it ignited a spark that led to one of California’s most destructive fires in 2004. 84 homes were lost. Should Mr. Rupp have gone to jail? Opinions regarding the severity of his punishment differ, but what everyone (except Mr. Rupp) seems to agree upon is that a punishment (or a consequence) was fitting. Mr. Rupp’s defense, however, is that he didn’t start a fire on purpose. In his words, “To set a fire, you have to set a fire.”

Unfortunately, the attitude demonstrated by Mr. Rupp is not uncommon. We have tendency to claim innocence when we make a mistake, or we just blame others. Our sister ___, who is leaving our fellowship soon for a great job opportunity in the ___, has dozens of stories from her work where people refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes.

This was not so with David. David repents for his mistake of pride and self-reliance and willingly accepts the discipline offered by God.

14 David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men."
2 Samuel 24: 14

David knows what it is like to live as a hunted man; he suffered many years as he ran away from King Saul. David is also a seasoned warrior. He knows that men on the hunt can be cruel and merciless. So given the choice, David would much rather put himself at the mercy of God. For if God has the power to judge, God also has the power to exercise mercy. David doesn’t even pick between the 3 years of famine or 3 days of plague; David just knows that he would rather be subject to God’s direct punishment.

15 So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. 16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah (UH-RAW’NUH) the Jebusite.
17 When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, "I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family."
2 Samuel 24: 15-17

David knew that either punishment would affect all of the people, but as he witnesses the consequences of his mistake being wrought upon the people of Israel, David offers himself instead – Let your hand fall upon me and my family. David understands and accepts the full weight of the consequences to his decision and he submits himself to God again.

And it turns out that David’s trust in God was justified. God does exercise mercy and the calamity stops at the threshing floor of Araunah. In response to this mercy, David goes to build an altar on that very site. As he approaches Araunah’s threshing floor, and Araunah learns of the king’s intent, Araunah bows and offers to gift the entire area to David the king.
David, however, refuses this offer.

22 Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up… 24 But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen…25 David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
2 Samuel 24: 22, 24-25

Although we read before that the angel stopped at the threshing floor of Araunah, these concluding verses communicate to us that God initiated mercy, but David’s response in acknowledging God and confessing his sin were necessary to end the threat of judgment completely. In is in worship that David’s acknowledges the gift of God’s mercy, confesses his sin and receives God’s forgiveness. In this story, we see that authentic worship is where the relationship broken by sin can be restored.

A few weeks ago, the kids on my street were outside playing hide and seek. My boys wanted to play with them, so they ran outside to ask if they could join in. The kids said no. For about 5 minutes, my boys tried to get in the game, but the other kids refused. Eventually, ___ (their dad) found the boys, standing to side, while the other 5 kids were sat huddled together in a circle. ___ brought the boys in and they told me what happened. As the boys sadly went upstairs to get ready for bed, I went outside to talk to the 5 kids. I asked them what my boys did wrong—why they could not play together. One of the kids tried to explain to me that they were in the middle of a game that couldn’t be interrupted, but of course, I knew that wasn’t true—they were playing hide and seek. I went back inside fairly frustrated and disappointed.

The next morning, very early, the doorbell rang. It was one of the 5 kids. She handed me a note. It read: “Dear ___, I’m sorry for not letting you play with us yesterday. You can play with us anytime. Your friend, ___.” I cannot tell you how happy my boys were to receive that simple apology. Then that afternoon, the doorbell rang again, it was ___, asking if the boys could come outside to play, and with shouts of joy they ran outside.

The repentance and the follow through demonstrated by this young girl were so healing—not only to my boys but also to me. It broke my heart to see my boys rejected, so it was a great blessing to witness this girl sincerely apologize and mean it.

When we make a mistake, are we that quick to acknowledge our faults and our failures? Are we able to repent sincerely, and even accept the consequences of our mistakes?

In the Gospel of Matthew, the disciples ask Jesus:
"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [Jesus] called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:2-4)

What my 8-year old neighbor did, without knowing it, was to provide an example of Jesus’ words in action. As child, she was able to exercise the humility needed to sincerely apologize for a mistake that she had made.

As adults, something about growing older makes it harder for us to acknowledge our mistakes, to admit them, to confess them and just importantly, to accept the consequences for them.

How do you live out your mistakes? King David’s story reminds us that sometimes our mistakes can be huge. In David’s case, his decision to take a census put an entire country on notice about the king’s power; required over 9 months’ of work on the part of his army commanders and 70,000 people died. But those were not the worst aspects of his mistake. The most egregious point of his decision was his slap of God’s face in denying God’s sovereign power over the throne of Israel.

With such far-reaching effects, a simple apology received with a “don’t do it again” was not sufficient. Discipline had to be exercised, and it was. David willingly accepted this consequence because he was a man who rightly understood that God loved him and that God loved Israel.

When we make a mistake, how willing are we to humble ourselves and confess, to move from darkness to light and with that to accept the consequences of our incorrect decision?

Jesus said that whoever humbles him or herself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. David—King David—was able to do this when he recognized that he had made a mistake. If we are sincere in our desire to live a Christian life, we will take a page from David’s book the next time we make a mistake and humbly confess and open ourselves to the mercy of our loving God.

2008.08.03 What is Transformation: From Rebellion to Submission

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24

We are in the middle of a sermon series about transformation—the change that happens when our hearts are transformed to love God. To do this, we are looking at the story of David, a man who is described as one who longed to please God and do everything God wanted him to do.

Two weeks ago, we saw how David’s perspective was radically different than that of his fellow Israelites and King Saul as they looked upon the giant Goliath. David lived by faith; the others lived by fear.

Last week, we looked at the contrast between King Saul and his son Jonathan as they related to David. Jonathan exercised compassion. King Saul lived in envy.

This week, we are going to learn about the difference between King Saul and David as they related to God’s power.

But first, a story.

A few years back, I went for a long walk (~40 minutes) with two of my boys. My youngest was 1.5 years old and in a stroller. My oldest was 4.5 years old. When we returned home, we discovered that my youngest had lost his shoe.

My first instinct was to do what I normally do—take matters into my own hands. Given that the three of us were tired from the long walk, we climbed into the car. We slowly retraced our entire route, with my oldest and me peering out the windows at 5 mph. No shoe.

On the way home, my oldest suddenly said with much confidence, “I know where the shoe is.” I asked, “Where?” He said, “I’ll tell you when I see it.” We turned the corner for our street, and there, in broad daylight, was the missing shoe.

After I retrieved it, my oldest asked, “Do you know why we found it?” “Why?” I asked. “Because I prayed to God,” he answered simply.

What struck me at that moment was not some heightened appreciation for the power of prayer—it was, after all, only a kid’s shoe. What I was struck by was my oldest child’s confidence in prayer. Because of his awareness of God’s presence and God’s goodness he prayed for help to find his brother’s shoe and experienced a solid assurance that God would come through for us.

How often do you find that your first instinct in a time of distress is to pray? How much confidence do you have that God will take care of the situation, whatever it may be?

In today’s scripture, we enter the story of David’s ascent to the throne. Saul is still hunting David down because Saul, like we sometimes do, has chosen to take matters in his own hands. Saul knows that he has lost God’s blessing to be king.

"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."
1 Samuel 13:13-14

Over time, it becomes apparent to Saul that David is this man of whom the prophet Samuel spoke. Yet rather than understand how God would want the throne to be passed along, Saul seizes power with two hands. And as we saw last week, Saul allows envy to consume him, which leads to his attempts to murder not only David but even, at one point, his own son Jonathan. And it is also what leads him to pursue David.

Saul, however, is still king, and he needs to take care of his country. A threat from the Philistines comes, and Saul has to abandon his pursuit of David to fight Israel’s longtime enemy. Then at the beginning of Chapter 24, we read:

1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi." 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4a The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, `I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'"
1 Samuel 24:1-4a

What an opportunity for David! Here is Saul, the man who is making David’s life horribly difficult. Saul has directly attempted to kill David while in the palace. Saul has attempted to kill his son and David’s best friend, Jonathan. These murderous intentions have forced David to live as a fugitive, and even caused David to take his parents to a neighboring kingdom to plead for their safekeeping. Saul’s violence has even been unleashed against those whom he perceives are in support of David, as can be seen in his order to destroy the entire town of Nob in chapter 22.

David is on the run, and here, handed to him on a silver platter, is the man who is causing all of this grief. Saul is alone and vulnerable. The men who are hiding in the cave with David see the opportunity—it’s too good to miss. They urge David to take action, for an opening like this—so easy, so straightforward—must be from God. David’s men even quote a promise of God, saying that David can deal with his enemy as he wishes. ("This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, `I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'") Saul is at David’s mercy.

(Let me note, however, that this promise is found nowhere else in Scripture. Instead, if you look at the footnote found in most Bibles, the alternative translation for this verse is the men saying “Today the Lord is saying…” They see the circumstances and assume that this must be a sign given by God.)

Imagine the temptation that lies before David here. With his own two hands, he can end the misery he has been living and step up to claim the throne for which the prophet Samuel has already anointed him. So then, urged by this companions, David moves forward:

4b Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
1 Samuel 24: 4b

To everyone’s surprise, David does not exact vengeance. He does not answer Saul’s violence with more violence. Instead, he cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe. And then..

5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." 7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
1 Samuel 24: 5-7

David’s guilt is surprising because compared to what he could have done, what he actually did was so minor. He just cut off a corner of piece of clothing. Yet that piece of clothing was the king’s robe. The royal robe. A robe that served as a powerful symbol of authority—the authority of the throne of Israel. A modern-day analogy could be cutting off a corner of the original Constitution of the United States or flying a U.S. flag with the corner cut off. It doesn’t make a real difference to the power communicated by the object, but it is deeply disrespectful.

Yet why should this disrespect cause David even one moment of grief? The things that Saul has done to him far outweigh the act of cutting the king’s robe. The answer to this question can be found by understanding the state of David’s heart. Looking at his words to his men, David states twice that Saul is the Lord’s anointed. The Lord God is David’s commander-in-chief, and David recognizes that Saul was the one whom God first anointed as king. David respects that decision. David respects the work of God.

So despite the fact that, by all appearances, David would have justified in bringing great harm, humiliation or even death to Saul in that cave, David’s modus operandi is not to take matters into his own hands. Instead, David opts to respect God’s authority in all matters, including this ongoing battle that Saul is waging against David.

After Saul leaves the cave, David makes his intentions clear:

8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, `David is bent on harming you'? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, `I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD's anointed.' 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, `I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'" As the old saying goes, `From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you.
1 Samuel 24: 8-13

“From evildoers come evil deeds.” This wisdom is repeated in the New Testament, in Matthew, Chapter 7: “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit… Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

(Verse 13: " As the old saying goes, `From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you.) David is not going to become the king of Israel through the “bad fruits” of violence and vengeance. David has not done wrong against Saul, and yet Saul is hunting him down to take his life. David does express his wish that Saul is paid back for the wrongs he has inflicted upon David. However, the right to exercise this justice remains in God’s hands, not David’s. Thus, as David’s speech developed, he moved from bowing to Saul and addressing him respectfully as “My lord the king” to the intimate title of “my father” (v.11). David’s speech is not one of righteous anger but one compassion and forgiveness. He vows to Saul, as he has already done with Saul’s son, that David’s hand “will not touch” him. The violence with which Saul is attacking David, the violence with which Saul is, in the bigger picture, rebelling against God, will not be continued in David’s time.

This is in complete contrast to the violence that Saul demonstrated toward David. Saul screwed up and lost God’s approval to be the king. Yet rather than repenting and changing his ways, Saul became consumed with envy as David, a rising star, entered the scene. Then, in order to exert some control over a world that was spinning out of control, Saul began to hunt David down, hurting and killing many along the way. Saul’s actions were not simply actions against David. In the larger picture, what we see is that Saul is rebelling against God, against God’s authority.

When do we behave like Saul? In situations of distress, how often is our first instinct one of control, or management, or getting the situation in hand? Saul saw that he was going to lose the throne, and he didn’t like it.. and he felt that there was little that he could do about it.

So, paradoxically, he tried to seize control as his recognized that his fate had become uncontrollable. Unfortunately, Saul did this through violence, and sometimes we do too. There is the violence of the streets, which is in the news every day, but there is also the violence in our homes and our offices. Yelling is violent. Threats are violent. And they are almost always directed toward one who is weaker because that is our way of exerting control when in the bigger picture we feel as though we have very little control. And regrettably, sometimes words are not enough, so we resort to physical violence.

The remarkable thing about David is that he was a man to whom life’s circumstances had been grossly unfair. He defeated the Philistine champion on behalf of Israel, and in return for his service, he is running for his life, hiding out in caves where people go to use the restroom.

We can go through our days incredibly stressed out or anxious about so many things—the recession, the weak housing market, the cost of gasoline, the horrible state of California’s schools, the rising prices of food, global warming.. and that’s just the general stuff. Each of us also has burdens that we carry within our extended families and our immediate households, as well as in our workplaces, and yes, even the future of this ministry.

And unfortunately, sometimes we take that anxiety, that sense of being a little overwhelmed or that things have slipped into chaos that is just beyond our control, and we funnel it into mini pockets of control. Whether it is yelling at our kids, being rude to our spouses, being very harsh at work, or even acting passive aggressively.. the violence can take all sort of shapes and sizes. What are doing in these instances is, in the bigger picture, rebelling against God. We are refusing to acknowledge that God is sovereign, that God loves us, that will care for us.

David chose to meet violence with compassion. David chose to reject vengeance in favor of humility. He was able to do this, not because he was a perfect person, but b/c he recognized God as the one who is in control. God would be the one to judge between David and Saul. God would be the one who would avenge the wrongs Saul had done to David. In the meantime, David stayed true to his respect and honor of God. As a tree, his “fruit,” so to speak, would continue to produce good. He continued to acknowledge Saul as the king, he treated Saul as the Lord’s anointed. He refused to exercise vengeance. As a result,

16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud. 17 "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family."

22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
1 Samuel 24: 16-22

The scene ends with the two men going their separate ways. Yet before their departure, Saul has uttered the words, “I know” (v.20). Saul has conceded the kingdom and acknowledged that David is the future—the future that Saul, despite his best efforts to make it different, has failed to forestall.

There are many lessons that we can learn from Saul and David’s interactions. Yet today we are asking what a transformed life looks like. How does a person who loves God behave in the midst of uncertainty and crisis? In David, we see that it is possible to choose humility, patience, compassion.. in short, submission to God’s word and God’s will. I am sure that there will be many occasions in the future where we find ourselves instinctively choosing the path of Saul—to reject God’s plan and take matters into our own hands. Yet such a choice can only bring heartache. In the end, what we truly want, if we were to take some time to consider it, what we truly want is to live a life of confidence and assurance that God is our ever-present help in times of trouble. We would do well by considering the example of David and his actions toward Saul.